FOXBORO – Forget for a minute the punching bag the Browns have been and seem fated to be so long as they call themselves a football team.

This isn’t about the Browns.

This isn’t even about Sunday.

It’s about the punctuation Sunday became for the first half of a season where the Patriots defense is no longer a punching bag.

Not even close.

Yes, the same defense Geno Smith carved up for 362 passing yards in the opener. And the one that forgot how to tackle in Miami. And the same defense that, for whatever reason, insists on spotting opponents a touchdown or field goal on every opening series.

Maybe they’re bored.

Bored or not, these Patriots are nearing top-10 status, a territory that, if reached at season’s end, would make this team a certified contender.

So while Drake Maye builds

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